From left to right, Lizette Serrano’s children, Bernadette, Carlos and Miguel, said their mom was always selfless, kind and cheerful with family and all she encountered.
STATEN ISLAND — The ultimate sacrifice made by CSEA members Lizette Serrano and Marion Anderson 10 years ago is still yielding fruit today.
As family, co-workers and friends recently gathered on Forest Hill Road, where a new sidewalk and streetlamps provide safety for pedestrians, the role Serrano and Anderson played in securing those improvements posthumously were noted and their lives were celebrated.
Those safety measures didn’t exist 10 years ago, when on the eve of Thanksgiving, the two food service workers from Staten Island DDSO were struck and killed by a minivan as they attempted to cross the dark and slippery street.
The incident, which generated much media coverage, also highlighted the need for safety improvements outside the facility.
Selfless and dedicated
In front of a marble memorial to the two workers near the entrance to the facility, CSEA Metropolitan Region President Lester Crockett, Staten Island DDSO Local President Jeanette Mitchell, family, friends and co-workers spoke about their many contributions and their dedication to the individuals at Staten Island DDSO.
“She was a very selfless woman,” said Miguel Serrano, the youngest of Serrano’s three children who also works as a safety and security officer at Staten Island DDSO. “She would often think about others before she thought about herself.”
It was that dedication that led Serrano and Anderson to remain at the facility after their shift had ended to ensure that the individuals they served also enjoyed a special Thanksgiving meal.
“I remember the day that it happened,” said Mitchell. “They were here at work doing extra to make sure that the individuals that we take care of here got a well-deserved Thanksgiving dinner. When I realized that 10 years had gone by, we had to do something.”
From left to right, Staten Island DDSO Local President Jeanette Mitchell and Lizette Serrano’s son, Miguel, place a wreath on a pole near the site of the accident.
During the ceremony and at a reception immediately after, colleagues and family continued to describe two workers who doted on their individuals with the same care attention they showered on their families.
“They epitomized what working for Staten Island DDSO and working for the state of New York is all about,” said former Staten Island DDSO Director Sheryl Minter-Brooks, who is now retired. “They knew it was a holiday and also knew that the individuals deserved to have the same things that we have to celebrate the holidays.”
Fighting for safety
Shortly after the incident, Mitchell worked with the previous local president and local members to make safety improvements on the road. They met with elected officials, wrote letters, held rallies and attended civic meetings.
“We fought to get traffic lights and a sidewalk,” said Mitchell.
While the specific improvements they sought were not provided due to existing signs and traffic patterns, they did get additional streetlamps and a new sidewalk.
“CSEA played a big part in making these changes,” said Mitchell. “There have not been any incidents since these improvements were made.”
Crockett expressed his admiration for the two workers and thanked the local for honoring their memory with these improvements.
“Lizette and Marion did not die in vain,” said Crockett. “This path and this lighting will be a constant reminder of their light and the way they led their lives, always helping others.”
The ceremony concluded with the release of colorful balloons and family members then walked solemnly across the street to place a wreath on a pole next to where the accident occurred.”
“It’s ironic because I would say for years [before the accident]that there should be lights or something here because someone was going to get hurt,” said Miguel Serrano. “I never thought that it would hit so close to home.”
— David Galarza
Above, family, friends and co-workers of Lizette Serrano and Marion Anderson, honored their contributions and celebrated their lives on the 10th anniversary of their untimely deaths.
